Nasheed stated the following day that he was forced out of office at gunpoint, while Waheed supporters maintained that the transfer of power was voluntary and constitutional.

[8][9] A later British Commonwealth meeting concluded that it could not "determine conclusively the constitutionality of the resignation of President Nasheed", but called for an international investigation.

[10] The Maldives' National Commission of Inquiry, appointed to investigate the matter, found that there was no evidence to support Nasheed's version of events.

In a speech prior to handing over power to his successor on 11 November 2008, Gayoom said: "I deeply regret any actions on my part ... (that) led to unfair treatment, difficulty or injustice for any Maldivian."

A GlobalPost article says that many in the international community consider Mohammed Nasheed the "Godfather of the Arab Spring" for his role in bringing democracy to the Maldives and the peaceful protests which led to his election as president.

[19] On 23 December 2011, the opposition held a mass symposium with as many as 20,000 people in the name of protecting Islam, which they believed Nasheed's government was unable to maintain in the country.

Weeks of protests and demonstrations ensued, led by local police dissidents who opposed Nasheed's 16 January arrest order against Chief Justice Abdulla Mohamed.

[25] Waheed had opposed the arrest order and supported the opposition that forced Mohamed Nasheed to resign, but despite allegations he denied involvement in the coup.

[26] Nasheed resigned on 7 February 2012 following weeks of protests after he ordered the military to arrest Abdulla Mohamed, the Chief Justice of the Criminal Court, on 16 January.

[27] Nasheed notoriously ordered very little use of force against the protests throughout most of the demonstrations.However, it was during his three years as president that the most frequent use of tear gas on public occurred.

In the fifth night of demonstrations Parliamentarian and DRP Youth Council President Mr. Ahmed Mahloof, Maldives national football team forward Assad Ali and several others was arrested.

[32][33][34] An opposition alliance (Madhanee Ithihaad) was formed in December 2011, including all the parties that supported the President in his 2008 presidential race.

[35] Former cabinet minister Mohamed Jameel Ahmed was repeatedly summoned to the police station in connection with the protests, at one point being detained at Dhoonidhoo, a Maldivian prison island.

On 23 December 2011, the opposition held a mass symposium with as many as 20,000 people in the name of protecting Islam, which they believed Nasheed's government was unable to maintain in the country.

[citation needed] On 16 January 2012,[20] the Maldives military, on orders from President Nasheed, arrested Judge Abdulla Mohamed, the Chief Justice of the Maldives Criminal Court, on charges he was blocking the prosecution of corruption and human rights cases against allies of former President Gayoom.

On 7 February, the protests reached their climax, with the military firing tear gas at demonstrators and police who were swarming the National Defence Force headquarters.

[44] The Maldives National Defense Force subsequently had a standoff with police who had joined the protesters, in which the MNDF fired rubber bullets into the crowd.

Following the forced resignation on 7 February 2012, Nasheed immediately informed the international community of the events surrounding his ousting and asked for early elections to preserve the country's fledgling democratic system.

[25] On 23 February 2012, the Commonwealth suspended the Maldives from its democracy and human rights watchdog while the ousting was being investigated, and backed Nasheed's call for elections before the end of 2012.

Before his march reached the square, however, the Maldives Police Service dispersed the protest with batons and pepper spray.

He said: "I was given a seven-page letter by the General then in charge of military intelligence warning of a plot, to overthrow my government, by Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

"[61][62] Nasheed and his foreign minister, Ahmed Naseem, claimed in interviews that Islamic extremists were upset with his rule and were behind the coup.

[67] A later British Commonwealth meeting concluded that it could not "determine conclusively the constitutionality of the resignation of President Nasheed", but called for an international investigation.

[10] The Maldives' National Commission of Inquiry, appointed to investigate the matter, found that there was no evidence to support Nasheed's version of events.

The US State Department and the Commonwealth of Nations Secretary Kamalesh Sharma welcomed the release of the report, and called on Maldivians to abide by its findings.